In Pics | Here’s what PM Narendra Modi gifted G7 leaders
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit to Germany to attend G7 Summit, presented its leaders with various gifts displaying India’s rich art and craft, especially those related to Uttar Pradesh’s one district one product scheme.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit to Germany to attend G7 Summit, presented its leaders with various gifts displaying India’s rich art and crafts, especially those related to Uttar Pradesh’s one district one product scheme. Here’s the list of gifts PM Modi gave to G7 leaders. (Image credit: narendramodi/Twitter)
2/12
PM Modi gifted a ‘Metal Marodi carving matka’ to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. This nickel-coated, hand-engraved brass vessel is a masterpiece from district Moradabad, which is also known as ‘Peetal Nagari’ or ‘brass city’ of Uttar Pradesh. After casting the pot, the design that has to be engraved is first sketched on paper. An outline of the whole design is done with a fine engraving tool hammered with a wooden block. This particular type of engraving is called Marodi. (Source: ANI)
3/12
PM Modi gifted Gulabi ‘Meenakari brooch and cufflink’ to US President Joe Biden. Gulabi Meenakari is a GI-tagged art form of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The motifs primarily use the colour pink (Gulabi), which lends its name to the craft. These cufflinks were prepared for the President with a matching brooch for the First Lady Jill Biden. (Source: ANI)
4/12
PM Modi gifted a ‘platinum-painted, hand-painted tea set’ from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh to UK PM Boris Johnson. The crockery is outlined with platinum metal paint in honour of the Queen’s platinum jubilee being celebrated this year. The embossed outlines are laid on manually with Mehndi cone work and require an extremely confident hand. (Source: ANI)
5/12
PM Modi gifted ‘Itr bottles in Zardozi box’ to French President Emmanuel Macron. The carrier box has been crafted in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The zari zardozi box has been embroidered on khadi silk and satin tissue in colours of the French National Flag. The motifs are traditional Indo-Persian, lotus flowers hand-embroidered with metal wire in blue and a pendant used in Kashmiri carpets and motifs from Awadhi architecture. The box included attar mitti, jasmine oil, attar shamama, attar gulab, exotic musk, and garam masala. (Source: ANI)
6/12
Modi gifted ‘hand-knotted silk carpets’ which are famous all over the world for their softness and craftsmanship to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. A Kashmiri silk carpet is known for its beauty, perfectness, lushness, luxury and dedicated craftsmanship. The Kashmiri silk carpets are made predominantly in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. These exquisite creations are hand-knotted on warp threads, one at a time, in accordance with a strict code of colours in the order of their appearance in the pattern. (Source: ANI)
7/12
PM Modi gifted ‘Black Pottery’ pieces to Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida. The black pottery of Nizamabad, Uttar Pradesh uses a special technique to bring out black colours – while the pottery is inside the oven, it is ensured that there is no scope for oxygen to enter the oven and the heat level remains high. The glaze on the pottery comes from the high zinc content of the soil and the layer of mustard oil applied before firing the pottery. (Source: ANI)
8/12
PM Modi gifted a ‘marbel inlay table top’ to Italy’s PM Mario Draghi. Pietra dura or marble inlay has its origin in the Opus sectile - a form of pietra dura popularised in the ancient and medieval Roman world where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern. This particular table top is made of semi-precious stones with gradients in their colour, making it very similar to Italian marble inlay work. (Source: ANI)
9/12
Other than the G7 leaders, PM Modi also gifted items to leaders from Indonesia, South Africa, Senegal and Argentina. He gifted ‘Dokra art with Ramayana theme’ to South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. Dokra art is non-ferrous metal casting art using the lost-wax casting technique. This particular art piece from Chhattisgarh is based on the Ramayan theme. (Source: ANI)
10/12
PM Modi gifted ‘Nandi-themed Dokra art’ to Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez, an art piece from Chattisgarh. According to Hindu mythology ‘Nandi – the Meditataive Bull’ is considered as the vehicle of Lord Shiva. (Source: ANI)
11/12
Prime Minster Narendra Modi gifted ‘Moonj baskets and cotton durries’ to Senegal’s President Macky Sall. Moonj is a wonderful example of utilitarian handicraft made with sustainably sourced material. This particular piece is by a master craftswoman from Prayagraj. (Source: ANI)
12/12
PM Modi gifted lacquerware ‘Ram Durbar’ to Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo. The GI-tagged lacquerware art form has its roots in the temple town of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. This particular piece is made of Goolar wood. (Source: ANI) (With inputs from ANI)
